The Journal: Big Book Giveaway

In today’s Journal * Big Book Giveaway * Of Interest Big Book Giveaway Note: Hey folks, if you’re subscribed to my Substack reader blog as well, you’ll see this post again later today in a slightly different format.Basically the same post, though, same offer. I realize about the dumbest thing an author can do is try to get other writers to read his fiction. (grin) That even holds true when the writers in question consider the author an instructor and something of an authority. Go figure. But that’s fine. Despite all that, now and then I like to give away … Read more

The Journal: An Interesting Conversation

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Some Good Comments * Another Comment, Another Place * Okay, No More WITD for Awhile * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “You just can’t do anything about the past. But if you turn around and face forward, it is amazing what you can accomplish in the future.” Dean Wesley Smith “Any man’s death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind. Any therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” John Donne (Not about writing but I just really like this quote.) Some Good … Read more

The Journal: I Had to Laugh

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * I had to laugh * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “If I’ve done my job in the first two hours, the audience will believe anything I tell them at the end.” Director Steven Spielberg on making up stuff in fiction “Tip: Non-outliners — write the story then add the foreshadowing.” Steve Hooley, TKZ, on foreshadowing (grin) I Had to Laugh I had to laugh, albeit in a good-natured way, when I first read that second quote. Yeah, I’m gonna take advice on how to write into the dark from an … Read more

The Journal: The Final Brandon Sanderson Post

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Final Brandon Sanderson Post * In other news * Still writing * Of Interest Quote of the Day “A quick search of the publishing category on Kickstarter, sorted for active campaigns, showed me book projects that have funded and brought in (so far) anywhere from $50,000 to $500. The bulk of these are in the $10,000 category per novel … which is, roughly, what any new writer can expect from traditional publishing these days.” Kristine Kathryn Rusch The Final Brandon Sanderson Post If you don’t read anything else today, be … Read more

The Journal: Benefits vs. Features

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Benefits vs. Features: Notes on Marketing and on Writing * Of Interest Quote of the Day “There’s a responsibility in being a person. It’s more than just taking up space where air would be.” John Steinbeck in East of Eden This is easily one of the more important and apt quotes I’ve ever included here. Benefits vs. Features: Notes on Marketing and on Writing Matt Perryman, author of the recent guest post on marketing, also passed along a book recommendation: The Ultimate Marketing Plan by Dan Kennedy. I didn’t provide a … Read more

The Journal: Marketing vs. Writing

In today’s Journal * Marketing vs. Writing * Novella vs. Novel * Of Interest Marketing vs. Writing I received an email that read, in part, “I don’t trust people who teach ebook marketing but have zero ebooks under their belt.” I mention this just in case anyone else out there is thinking this way. Possibly the writer was referring to some of the marketing experts I recommended in the Journal recently. Regardless, this is a category mistake, and it isn’t even comparing apples and oranges. It’s comparing apples and fruit stands. Marketing and writing are vastly different skills. A person … Read more

The Journal: General Tidbits

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The quote of the day… * This is the year you’ll finish your book * I was glancing over * If I May * Of Interest Quote of the Day “Publishers can’t publish without writers.” Dan Baldwin in “Son of Why Is This A Good Idea?” (see “Of Interest”) The quote of the day is a massive UmYup, a solid statement of fact, and one that is empowering for writers. From early school, we are taught that our creative subconscious (and ourselves and whatever we’ve learned) are inadequate to tell a … Read more

The Journal: On Daily Word-Count Goals

In today’s Journal * Sympathy * Thanks, I needed that * Topic: On Daily Word-Count Goals * A Final Word on Goals for This Year * The Journal Archives * Of Interest * The Numbers First, my heartfelt sympathy for the family, friends and fans of Coach John Madden, who passed away unexpectedly yesterday morning at the age of 85. I was fortunate that I got to witness much of his career as a coach and then as a coach in the broadcast booth. Coach Madden will be sorely missed. My sincere thanks to reader Larry P who emailed me … Read more

The Journal: All Knowledge is Pertinent

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Welcome * All Knowledge is Pertinent to WITD * Moaning No Longer * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy.” Ambrose Bierce “November, n. The eleventh twelfth of a weariness.” Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary Welcome to Lexy, and any others who subscribed recently. Good to have you all aboard. If I can do anything to help, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or email me. All Knowledge is Pertinent to WITD The Kill Zone blog has made … Read more

The Journal: Stopping for a Visit

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Stopping for a Visit * Octavia Butler * Scam Alert * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Until I began writing my own stories, I never found quite what I was looking for… In desperation, I made up my own… I made a universe in it. There I could be a magic horse, a Martian, a telepath. There I could be anywhere but here, any time but now, with any people but these.” Octavia Butler Stopping for a visit to say hello and share some things that are … Read more